California’s Eastern Sierra Guide App Cbalke December 21, 2016 Articles, Featured, News, Resources1 CommentWhile some of us are slower to embrace technology, Nate Greenberg, co-author of Backcountry Skiing California's Eastern Sierra, is expecting technology to propel the guidebook and the information it provides...
Know Before You Go: Travis Rice’s Avalanche Cbalke December 14, 2016 Articles, Featured, VideosWhen it comes to Avalanches and backcountry safety in general, many people are quick to shame or call out others for their errors. While doing so, they place themselves on a pedestal as though they have always...
Split Sledding in the Chugach with MoPros Cbalke December 6, 2016 Articles, VideosAs a student, when spring rolls around, we're typically supposed to head south, find beaches, rage to electronic music, pound mai tai’s, and hope to avoid pulling down an STD. While everyone listens to...
Arc’teryx Procline AT Boots and Phantom Splitboard Bindings Cbalke November 30, 2016 Articles, Featured, Gear, News1 CommentIn case you haven't noticed, AT split boarding is all the rage right now. Binding manufactures have taken note and now offer innovative solutions to meet the AT splitboarders needs. For many riders the last...
Colorado Snowboard Guides – Justin Ibarra Cbalke November 21, 2016 Articles, Featured, News, ResourcesWhy I chose to become a guide: Growing up in Colorado the seed of being outdoors was planted in me at a very young age. After high-school it didn’t work out at a major university but it helped me to...
Spark R&D – What’s In A Pair? Cbalke November 2, 2016 Articles, Spark R&D, VideosOn October 7th, Spark R&D celebrated Manufacturing Day. A day where businesses which manufacture everything from beer to splitboard bindings can showcase the manufacturing process. Part of the goal of...
The Skinny on Skins Cbalke October 3, 2016 Articles, Featured, Gear, Jones Snowboards, News, Resources, Reviews, Splitboard 101, Voile1 CommentWithout a doubt splitboarding has evolved in leaps and bounds from the DIY builds, Burton’s splitboard interface, Voile’s plate kit, and Spark R&D’s Ignition binding. Even with all of the advances in...
SPARK R&D – A Decade Deep Cbalke September 14, 2016 Articles, Featured, Spark R&DSPARK R&D looks back on the last 10 years of products and innovations. When an idea hits – there is a spark – energy is released and the gears start turning. For us, that spark happened as Will...
Batten the Hatches – Patagonia’s PowSlayer Bib and Refugitive Jacket Cbalke April 17, 2016 Articles, Featured, Gear, News, Resources, Reviews1 CommentAfter years of marketing jargon and hype, it seems that riders have become more cautious or dismissive when it comes to new "tech." Especially when these new “tech” pieces demand a large chunk of your...
Split Open and Melt – The Reconnaissance Line by Patagonia Cbalke March 29, 2016 Articles, Contributors, Featured, Gear, Ian Tarbox, News, Reviews1 CommentIan Tarbox-Recon Line Review The snowsports industry saw some very cool new waves for the 2015/2016 winter season. One of these swells was the rise of touring-specific outerwear. Patagonia dropped the...
Davide Capozzi – Two First Descents in a Week Cbalke March 26, 2016 Articles, News, Trip ReportsIn 2013, which was a memorable year for its incredible snow, Julien "Pica" Herry had begun to talk about a possible descent down the Voie Originale from Grande Rocheuse. This beautiful mountain is next to the...
Getting to know AMGA Guide Eric Layton Cbalke March 1, 2016 Articles, Featured1 CommentEric, tell us about yourself and how you started snowboarding and splitboarding. I'm from Lake Tahoe, Truckee to be exact. I moved there in the mid 90's from the Southern California. I grew up riding the...
ORTOVOX, More Than Just Beacons! Cbalke February 16, 2016 Articles, Gear, Resources, Reviews3 CommentsWhen I heard Justin Ibarra was excited about the new outerwear he was rocking, I was interested to hear what it was and how it was performing. I wasn't expecting to hear he was wearing Ortovox outerwear...
Fitwell Freeride Boot Review Cbalke February 1, 2016 Articles, Gear, Reviews6 CommentsFitwell boots shook the splitboard world when it introduced the Backcountry Boot. The handbuilt, highly durable, technical splitboarding boot, became one of the go-to boots for riders who needed a boot they...
TREW Touring Outerwear Review Cbalke January 25, 2016 Articles, Featured, Gear, Resources, Reviews2 Comments"There's a way to do it better - Find it." -Thomas Edison When TREW was getting feedback that their gear was, "Too heavy, too beefy, and not breathable enough." they set out to find a better way to meet...
BCA Backcountry Basics Step 5: Get Out of Harm’s Way Cbalke January 22, 2016 Articles, Featured, Resources, Splitboard 101, VideosSure, many of us would rather watch a shred flick, or be out shredding ourselves but don't minimize the value of avalanche safety education. Avalanche education is a perishable skill so it's important that we...
BCA Backcountry Basics Step 4: Get the Picture Cbalke January 13, 2016 Articles, Featured, Resources, Splitboard 101, VideosSure, many of us would rather watch a shred flick, or be out shredding ourselves but don't minimize the value of avalanche safety education. Avalanche education is a perishable skill so it's important that we...